AB0790 Effects of physical activity on disease activity and clinical enthesitis scores in patients with spondyloarthritis
Authors: M. Slouma, S. Ben Dhia, C. S. Bellagha, L. Metoui, R. Dhahri, I. Gharsallah, B. Louzir
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2022)

Background Regular physical activity (PA) highly recommended for patients with inflammatory diseases [1]. It was shown to significantly improve disease activity [1]. However, data regarding the effects of physical activity on disease activity and clinical enthesitis scores in patients with SA are scarce. Objectives We aim to assess the effects of performing PA on disease activity and clinical enthesitis scores in patients with SA. Methods We performed a cross-sectional study including patients with axial spondyloarthritis. Each patient was asked if he performed regular physical activity. Clinical disease activity scores were calculated: Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score using C-Reactive Protein (ASDAS-CRP). Clinical enthesitis scores were calculated: Maastricht Ankylosing Spondylitis Enthesitis Score (MASES) [2], Spondyloarthritis Research Consortium of Canada Enthesitis Index (SPARCC) [3] and Leeds Enthesitis Index (LEI) [4]. Results Thirty-seven patients were included: 29 males and 8 females. The mean age was 44.51±12.08 years. The mean disease duration of 9±7.8 years. Regular PA was reported by 51% patients (19). Aerobic exercise was performed by 48.6% of patients (walking: 27%, jogging: 8.1%, football: 5.4%, biking: 2.7%, handball: 2.7% and fitness exercise: 2.7%). Anaerobic exercise was performed by only one patient (2.7%) and consists of weightlifting. The mean weekly duration of PA was of 4.32±3.4 hours. Means BASDAI, ASDAS-CRP, and ASDAS-ESR were of 4.74±2.2, 3.02±1.2 and 3.26±1.3, respectively. Mean MASES was of 2.95±2.86, LEI of 1.51±1.72 and SPARCC of 2.97±3.42. Patients who performed regular PA had significantly lower disease activity evaluated with BASDAI (3.53 vs 5.45, p=0.007), ASDAS-CRP (2.64 vs 3.44, p=0.045) and ASDAS-ESR (2.84 vs 3.7, p=0.44). Clinical enthesitis scores were also significantly lower in physically active patients (MASES: 1.74 vs 4.22, p=0.007, LEI: 0.95 vs 2.11, p=0.038, SPARCC: 1.79 vs 4.22, p=0.029). However, no significative difference was found between the two groups regarding CRP (16.11 mg/L vs 39.67 mg/L, p=0.107). No correlation was found between the weekly number of hours of PA and the evaluated scores. Conclusion Physical activity was associated with lower disease activity scores and lower clinical enthesitis score. This highlights the importance of physical activity as a non-pharmacologic treatment in SA for the management of disease activity and entheseal involvement. References [1]Osthoff A-KR, Niedermann K, Braun J, Adams J, Brodin N, Dagfinrud H, et al. 2018 EULAR recommendations for physical activity in people with inflammatory arthritis and osteoarthritis. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases. 2018 Sep 1;77(9):1251–60. [2]Heuft-Dorenbosch L, Spoorenberg A, Tubergen A van, Landewé R, Tempel H van der, Mielants H, et al. Assessment of enthesitis in ankylosing spondylitis. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases. 2003 Feb 1;62(2):127–32. [3]Maksymowych WP, Mallon C, Morrow S, Shojania K, Olszynski WP, Wong RL, et al. Development and validation of the Spondyloarthritis Research Consortium of Canada (SPARCC) Enthesitis Index. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases. 2009 Jun 1;68(6):948–53. [4]Gladman DD, Inman RD, Cook RJ, Maksymowych WP, Braun J, Davis JC, et al. International spondyloarthritis interobserver reliability exercise--the INSPIRE study: II. Assessment of peripheral joints, enthesitis, and dactylitis. The Journal of Rheumatology. 2007 Aug 1;34(8):1740–5. Disclosure of Interests None declared